Before every game, the Elkhorn South High School football team would huddle in coach Trevor Longe's classroom.

There, Longe would boot up his computer and projector, and let the motivating words stream.

The 60 or so players might have heard the speech from the movie "Miracle" just before the United States beats Russia. Or they might have listened to Al Pacino's talk before the final game in "Any Given Sunday."

The different pregame speeches were part of what made coach Longe a successful motivator at Elkhorn South, said David Aldridge, a junior football player at the school.

"He told us all the time, 'We can be so good,'" Aldridge said. "He motivated us to want to be better."

That's why Aldridge was among the confused players who came to the Elkhorn school board meeting Monday night to question the administration's decision to let Longe go as a coach.

Longe was relieved Dec. 1 of his coaching duties, head football and assistant baseball. He did not return calls seeking comment.

"I think some of the players should have been talked to a little bit before this decision was made," Aldridge said.

Students have heard that complaints about Longe's coaching style were sent to Elkhorn South Principal Mark Kalvoda, leading to Longe's dismissal.

Yes, the coach swore every now and then, "but it was about as much as you'd expect from a football practice in high school," Aldridge said. "I wouldn't say they were overly tough or too hard on us."

Kalvoda and other school officials wouldn't comment on why Longe was let go, saying it was a personnel issue.

Kalvoda urged students to "trust that their principal is making the best decision for Elkhorn South."

John Marasco, Elkhorn school board president, said he doesn't know why Longe was let go, but he trusts administrators made the right move.

"They had to make a very difficult, unpopular decision and they can't share their justification," Marasco said. "So they have to sit quietly while everyone attacks their decision."

Longe, a former assistant coach at Millard South, is the only head football coach the school has had.

The team went 0-9 in the 2010 season, the school's first. This fall, the Storm went 6-4 with a state playoff appearance and a No. 9 ranking in the final Class B poll.

"He never lost faith in us, and he always had hope and high spirits for us," Aldridge said.

Longe will continue to teach at the school for at least the remainder of the school year, Kalvoda said. Longe teaches World History, World Geography and Current Problems.

Superintendent Steve Baker said administrators took the decision very seriously.

"I know that we're making the right decisions for the students," Baker said.

Kalvoda said the school plans to hire a new head football coach by mid-March.

Contact the writer:

402-444-1074, jonathon.braden@owh.com

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